Method and apparatus for verifying an object image in a captured optical image

1. An image detection device for providing dynamic feedback for verifying image capture of an optical image, the image detection device comprising: an image sensor configured to continuously capture a video including a plurality of frames; an image analyzer configured to analyze each frame of the captured video to determine whether each frame includes an object image with a candidate text string; a text string scoring determiner configured to score each candidate text string identified in each respective object image by assigning a respective object image score for each object image based on relative positions of each alphanumeric character therein; a device operation instructor configured to dynamically determine a highest score of the assigned object image scores assigned for the respective object images of the plurality of the frames and to generate an operation adjustment control if the determined highest score is less than a predetermined score threshold; a dynamic instruction generator configured to generate at least one visual instruction based on the operation adjustment control; a display configured to dynamically display the captured video and the generated at least one visual instruction as an overlay on the captured video during the continuous capture of the video by the image sensor, with the overlay for the generated at least one visual instruction providing a user instruction for assisting a user in positioning the image sensor to capture the video to include the object image with the candidate text string; and an object image verifier configured to verify that at least one of the plurality of frames, which is captured after the adjusting of the capture of the video based on the generated at least one visual instruction and comprises the candidate text string, includes a verified candidate text string when the assigned object image score for the at least one frame including the candidate text string is greater than the predetermined score threshold.

2. The image detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the text string scoring determiner is configured to score each candidate text string by applying a straight line through each alphanumeric character within each candidate text string and comparing a slope of the applied straight line to a horizontal direction, such that the score of each candidate text string is based on an angle of the applied straight line relative to the horizontal direction.

3. The image detection device according to claim 2 , wherein the text string scoring determiner is configured to discard each candidate text string if the respective score indicates that the angle between the applied straight line and the horizontal direction is greater than a predetermined threshold.

4. The image detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the dynamic instruction generator is further configured to control the display to generate the overlay as a detection indicator to provide the user instruction for assisting the user in positioning the image sensor to capture the video.

5. The image detection device according to claim 4 , wherein the dynamic instruction generator is further configured generate an alert when the object image verifier fails to verify that the at least one frame of the plurality of frames includes the verified candidate text string.

6. The image detection device according to claim 1 , further comprising an interface configured to transmit vehicle license plate information to a remote apparatus upon the object image verifier verifying that that the at least one frame includes the verified candidate text string and receive a vehicle financing offer from the remote apparatus.

7. The image detection device according to claim 1 , further comprising an image filter configured to: apply a set of filter parameters to the captured video that includes the plurality of frames; and dynamically adjust the filter parameters based on at least one of color temperature, ambient light, object image location, and the location of the image detection device relative an object associated with the captured object image.

8. A device for providing dynamic feedback for verifying image capture of an optical image that includes a candidate license plate, the device comprising: an image analyzer configured to analyze a plurality of frames of a captured video to determine whether each frame includes an object image with a candidate text string for the candidate license plate; a text string scoring determiner configured to score each candidate text string identified in each respective object image by assigning a respective object image score for each object image based on relative positions of each alphanumeric character therein; a device operation instructor configured to dynamically determine a highest score of the assigned object image scores assigned for the respective object images of the plurality of frames of the captured video and to generate an operation adjustment control if the determined highest score is less than a predetermined score threshold; a dynamic instruction generator configured to generate at least one visual instruction based on the operation adjustment control; a display configured to dynamically display the captured video and the generated at least one visual instruction as an overlay on the captured video during continuous capture of the video, with the overlay for the generated at least one visual instruction providing a user instruction for assisting a user in capturing the video to include the object image with the candidate text string; and an object image verifier configured to verify that at least one frame of the plurality of frames, which is captured after the adjusting of the video capture based on the generated at least one visual instruction and comprises the candidate text string, includes a verified license plate number when the assigned object image score for the at least one frame including the candidate text string is greater than the predetermined score threshold.

9. The device according to claim 8 , further comprising an image sensor configured to continuously capture the video of the candidate license plate that includes the plurality of frames.

10. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the text string scoring determiner is configured to score each candidate text string by applying a straight line through each alphanumeric character within each candidate text string and comparing a slope of the applied straight line to a horizontal direction, such that the score of each candidate text string is based on an angle of the applied straight line relative to the horizontal direction.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the text string scoring determiner is configured to discard each candidate text string if the respective score indicates that the angle between the applied straight line and the horizontal direction is greater than a predetermined threshold.

12. The device according to claim 9 wherein the dynamic instruction generator is further configured to control the display to generate the overlay as a detection indicator to provide the user instruction for assisting the user in positioning the image sensor to capture the video.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the dynamic instruction generator is further configured generate an alert when the object image verifier fails to verify that the at least one frame of the plurality of frames includes the verified license plate.

14. The device according to claim 8 , further comprising an interface configured to transmit vehicle license plate information to a remote apparatus upon the object image verifier verifying that that the at least one frame includes the verified license plate and receive a vehicle financing offer from the remote apparatus that is associated with the verified license plate.

15. The device according to claim 8 , further comprising an image filter configured to: apply a set of filter parameters to the captured video that includes the plurality of frames; and dynamically adjust the filter parameters based on at least one of color temperature, ambient light, object image location, and the location of the image detection device relative an object associated with the captured object image.

16. A method for providing dynamic feedback for verifying image capture of an optical image that includes a candidate license plate, the method comprising: analyzing, by a processor, a plurality of frames of a captured video to determine whether each frame includes an object image with a candidate text string for the candidate license plate; scoring, by the processor, each candidate text string identified in each respective object image by assigning a respective object image score for each object image based on relative positions of each alphanumeric character therein; dynamically determining, by the processor, a highest score of the assigned object image scores assigned for the respective object images of a plurality of frames of the captured video; generating, by the processor, an operation adjustment control if the determined highest score is less than a predetermined score threshold; generating, by the processor, at least one visual instruction based on the operation adjustment control; dynamically displaying, by a display screen controlled by the processor, the captured video and the generated at least one visual instruction as an overlay on the captured video during continuous capture of the video, with the overlay for the generated at least one visual instruction providing a user instruction for assisting a user in capturing the video to include the object image with the candidate text string; and verifying, by the processor, that at least one frame of the plurality of frames, which is captured after the adjusting of the video capture based on the generated at least one visual instruction and comprises the candidate text string, includes a verified license plate number when the assigned object image score for the at least one frame including the candidate text string is greater than the predetermined score threshold.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further continuously capturing, by an image sensor, the video of the candidate license plate that includes the plurality of frames.

18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising scoring each candidate text string by applying a straight line through each alphanumeric character within each candidate text string and comparing a slope of the applied straight line to a horizontal direction, such that the score of each candidate text string is based on an angle of the applied straight line relative to the horizontal direction.

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising discarding, by the processor, each candidate text string if the respective score indicates that the angle between the applied straight line and the horizontal direction is greater than a predetermined threshold.

20. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising controlling, by the processor, the display to generate the overlay as a detection indicator to provide the user instruction for assisting the user in positioning the image sensor to capture the video including the candidate license plate.

21. The method according to claim 20 , further comprising generating an alert when the object image verifier fails to verify that the at least one frame of the plurality of frames includes the verified license plate.

22. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising: transmitting vehicle license plate information to a remote apparatus upon the object image verifier verifying that that the at least one frame includes the verified license plate; and receiving a vehicle financing offer from the remote apparatus that is associated with the verified license plate.

23. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising: applying a set of filter parameters to the captured video that includes the plurality of frames; and dynamically adjusting the filter parameters based on at least one of color temperature, ambient light, object image location, and the location of the image detection device relative an object associated with the captured object image.